FRANKFORT — The conservative tea party movement that backed Matt Bevin when he was a struggling long-shot Republican wants Bevin to keep Jenean Hampton as his running mate when he seeks re-election as governor in 2019.

A dozen tea party leaders from across the state met with Bevin at the Capitol about a month ago, and the first item on their agenda was a unanimous request that Hampton remain on Bevin’s ticket.

“We said we’d really like to see him keep Jenean…” said Scott Hofstra, of Elizabethtown, spokesman for the United Kentucky Tea Party. “Jenean is very conservative. I think she’s been a bright spot for Matt’s administration.”

But Hofstra and two others at the meeting said Bevin told them he had not yet made a decision on a 2019 running mate. They also said he mentioned no names of others he may be considering for lieutenant governor.